It's a Green Thing (14 page)

I had to laugh. “Maybe so.”

I have to admit that Caitlin made some good points. And although I don't think it really applies so much to me, it's nice that she cares. But seriously, I don't think I'd ever let things get that carried away with Dominic. I really don't.

I
didn't work today. Jackie has decided that Thursdays and Sundays will be my official days off. Anyway, I figured it was time to pay Brooke a visit. If I didn't have a private conversation with her, it would continue to be difficult for me to make it to youth group. And like both Caitlin and Dominic have been saying, I need fellowship.

So while puttering around the garden and praying for Brooke this morning (something that Caitlin has recommended I do more often), I decided to pick her a bouquet of flowers—they are at their best right now—and drive over and attempt to have a Christian-to-Christian conversation with her. To say I was nervous is a huge understatement. But the bouquet was gorgeous, and I cleaned myself up and was ready to go and tell her how sorry I was that she'd been injured but also to point out that I didn't think it was really my fault. What could it hurt?

To boost my confidence, I prayed as I drove across town. She lives in an upscale neighborhood on a hill that overlooks the town and the lake. And her house is one of the nicest and nearly on the top of the hill. Still, it probably isn't that much nicer than my
parents' home in Beverly Hills. Not that it matters. But I was trying not to feel intimidated as I parked in the circular driveway and walked up to the large brick house. I rang the doorbell and waited, but no one answered. At that point I decided to go back to my car and write a quick note to leave with the flowers. Okay, maybe it was the chicken way out, but there didn't seem to be anyone home. Plus I thought my peace offering might make it easier to have a conversation with Brooke later, perhaps at youth group.

But as I was walking to my car, I heard a screeching yell and a splash from around back—almost as if someone had fallen into a pool. Imagining that Brooke had stumbled with her walker, plunged into a backyard pool, and was now drowning, I dropped the bouquet and sprinted around the side of the house, got a side gate open, and breathlessly ran around to where, sure enough, there was a backyard pool. But to my stunned surprise, Brooke was in a bikini, bouncing on the diving board, and she executed a nearly flawless one-and-a-half flip as she dove into the water.

At the shallow end of the pool was Amanda, gasping with her mouth open and eyes wide as she stared at me walking toward them. I must've looked equally shocked as I stood at the edge of the pool, waiting for Brooke to emerge, which she did, smiling victoriously as she looked at Amanda.

“I think that was a ten—” Then she must've realized Amanda's expression was odd, and she turned around to see me standing there, watching them.

“What is going on here?” I demanded.

“What are you doing here?” Brooke shot back at me. “Breaking and entering?”

“No,” I said calmly. “I heard a scream and a splash, and I thought perhaps you'd stumbled with your walker and fallen into the pool. I came back here to help.”

“Yeah, right.” She shook her head. “You're spying on me.”

“Apparently, you need to be spied on.” I glanced over to where her walker and braces were on a nearby lounge chair. “Is this some kind of physical therapy?”

“It's none of your business.” Brooke climbed out of the pool. “And if you tell anyone, I'll deny it.”

“How about you?” I asked Amanda. She still looked shocked. “Would you lie for Brooke? In court?”

Amanda didn't say anything, and as Brooke turned to look at her friend, I slipped my hand into my bag and retrieved my phone. Fortunately it was on. And although I've only taken a couple of photos with it, I somehow managed to aim it and snap a shot as Brooke turned around, glaring at me with hands on hips, dripping wet in her hot pink bikini.

“Give me that.” She charged at me.

But I just snapped another one, an action shot, before I quickly made my way out of there.

“You'll be sorry,” she screamed. “I'll call the police and tell them you broke in here.”

“Go ahead,” I shouted back as I retraced my steps through the side yard and out the gate. I scooped up the dropped bouquet.
No way was I wasting my beautiful flowers on that liar! I hopped into my car. My heart was pounding hard as I started the engine. I drove directly to the newspaper building, where I found Uncle Allen in his office and showed him the photos, quickly explaining my surprise visit.

“Well, I'll be!” He shook his head as he looked at the pictures. “Who knew you were a private detective, Maya.”

“It was totally accidental. I actually thought she'd fallen into her pool and was drowning. But when I got back there, she was doing a nearly perfect one-and-a-half dive into the pool. She's really good.”

He laughed. “What timing!”

I considered this. “You know, I'd been praying all morning, just trying to work up the nerve.” Then I told him about the flowers.

“Seems like you did the right thing,” he said. “Now let's get these pictures downloaded onto my computer, and I'll shoot them over to Robert Bernard to use as evidence.” He chuckled. “I can't wait to hear his reaction.”

Before long Uncle Allen had Mr. Bernard on the phone, telling him to check his e-mail. He waited for a bit, grinning at me as he thumped his pencil impatiently. “That's right, Robert. The calendar and clock are accurate. Maya took them less than an hour ago.” He nodded. “Yep, right there in the Marshalls' backyard. Caught the two girls completely by surprise.” He laughed. “That's what I told Maya. Guess we should start calling her P.I. Stark.”

“So can he use them?” I asked after my uncle hung up. “In court?”

Uncle Allen waved his hand. “Oh, I don't think this will be going to court, Maya.”

“Brooke said she was going to call the police on me. She accused me of breaking and entering. But I only went back there because I thought she was in trouble.”

“I'll let Robert know about that too, but I doubt it will be much of a problem. Not with these photos.” He looked back at his computer screen, then shook his head. “These are pretty incriminating.”

I looked at the photo and let out an exasperated sigh. “You know, I should be relieved, but this really makes me mad.”

“That's understandable.”

“I mean, I can't believe she was faking it!”

“Unfortunately, things like this happen a lot. Not that it makes it any easier to take. The good news is that your ordeal with the Marshalls will soon be over. Be thankful for that.”

“I am. But when I think of how horrible I've felt these past few weeks—it just really irks me!”

“Don't let it get to you, Maya. They say the best revenge is living well. So do something fun, and enjoy your day off.”

“Okay. I will.” I thanked him again.

“Oh yeah,” he said before I left. “We're getting good feedback on your column. It seems to have struck a chord with some of our readers.”

“Cool.”

So as I drove back home, trying to think of something fun to do, I tried to focus on the positives. The lawsuit would soon be history. My column was doing well. Really, life was good. I called Caitlin and told her the news. She was so relieved. Then I called Marissa, and like me, she was incensed that Brooke was such a liar. “Nice Christian girl,” she said bitterly.

“Not every Christian is like that,” I pointed out. “And maybe she's not really a Christian.”

“Yeah. She's probably been faking that too.”

“Well, she didn't fake that dive.”

Marissa laughed. “I wish I could've been there to see her face.”

“I'll send you the photo,” I promised. And I did.

Finally I called Dominic. He couldn't believe it. Then he suggested we celebrate by going out, which we did. A jazz band was playing in the park, and we went and picked up Greek food and sat in the park and listened. It should've been a great evening, but I couldn't fully enjoy it. I was still stewing over Brooke.

And even now, it's nearly eleven, and I should probably go to bed, but instead I'm writing in my diary. I still feel angry at Brooke. Instead of going away, my anger seems to be growing. Really, how could she claim to be a Christian and do something so low? I don't get it.

Dominic took me to youth group tonight. Almost everyone has heard the truth about Brooke by now. And while part of me feels vindicated, another part feels vindictive. I don't want to admit it to anyone, but I am still angry. And I wasn't a bit surprised that neither she nor Amanda came tonight. The cowards!

“It's too bad Brooke and Amanda didn't come to youth group,” Caitlin told me privately.

“Why's that?” Okay, as soon as I said this, I knew it sounded all wrong. Especially considering that Josh's talk tonight was about forgiveness. I'm still chewing on it, but mostly I don't want to think about it.

“I just think that now more than ever Brooke needs good fellowship. She needs to experience forgiveness and see what being a part of the body of Christ is really about. She needs to feel God's love in action.”

Unfortunately, I do not feel terribly loving toward Brooke right now. Or Amanda. And I wanted to ask Caitlin whether Brooke should have to come and ask me for that forgiveness first. I mean, was I supposed to just give her the free-and-clear and act like she didn't really hurt me? But it would probably sound petty…and not very Christlike. One of the things Josh said tonight was that we're supposed to forgive the way Jesus did—completely and whether the other person deserves it or not. But how is that done?

I think Brooke should get down on her knees and come crawling to me, saying how sorry she is and begging me to forgive her. And even then, I might have to think about it awhile. Maybe a few weeks…or about the same amount of time that she strung me along with her phony-baloney lawsuit. Because I feel pretty sure that Brooke would've continued her little drama queen act right up to the point when my dad handed her dad a big fat check. And that really burns me. How can I forgive that kind of selfishness? How can I act like it didn't hurt?

Just the same, I'm trying not to obsess over Brooke. I keep reminding myself of what my uncle said: the best revenge is to live well. So I'm trying. And tonight after youth group, Dominic and I took a little moonlight stroll through the park. I wished that Brooke could see me with him, just laughing and enjoying ourselves like normal teens.

The walk seemed like a fun idea. But then we sat on a bench in an isolated section, and before I knew it, we were kissing. Then we were really making out. And okay, it felt really good—tingly and exciting and wonderful. Part of me just wanted to keep kissing Dominic forever. But another part was saying, “Hey, slow it down. Enough is enough.”

But did I actually say those words aloud? Of course not. And that has me worried now. Why did I let it just go on and on? Why did Dominic? The worst part is that when we finally pulled away from each other, we both got really quiet. It's like we both knew something was wrong. As we went to the car, he held my hand,
but we didn't talk. And as he drove me home, we made small talk and goofy jokes, but it was like we weren't ourselves anymore. Like we'd left something behind in the park. And it really, really bugs me.

Now I'm thinking,
What if Caitlin is right? What if Dominic and I get carried away? What if we end up like Beanie and her boyfriend?
I so don't want to go there. I need to talk to Caitlin again. Did I listen carefully enough the first time? Maybe being normal isn't so fun and easy after all.